The easy way to maintain your garden.
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My post on how to create a French garden was such a hit, I decided to share my secrets for garden maintenance. Here's what I've learned over the years to help make things easier. With Spring upon us, it is the perfect time to be thinking about what changes we might want to make to our gardens for this season.
For example, maybe you've had a few plants that didn't quite grow well through the winter months and now need replacing. Or maybe you just aren't loving where your garden is headed at the moment. This is the perfect time of year for a little reflection and a little maintenance.
In my opinion, the best times to work on the maintenance of your garden is after the rain. This is the perfect time to pull out unwanted weeds that no doubt are beginning to pop up all over your yard. Unless you have a lawn service that does this sort of thing for you, it is much easier to yank out the weeds when the ground is soft. I typically use a hand fork, to loosen the weeds and with the ground soft they come right out with ease. I take a section of my yard at a time, working around the entire yard. I will take one day to do each section and before you know it the whole yard is looking great.
This is also a good time to move things around in your garden. Maybe you have a patch of bulbs that have expanded and you want to divide them, now is the time. Perhaps you just want to create a new bordered edge of lavender or boxus to add formality and form to your garden. It is so much easier to do this when the ground is soft. You might also have a large shrub or root that needs to be removed. If this is the case, you may need a spade shovel. This shovel will help you get underneath the deep roots and lift the plant out.
Once the weeds are gone, and I've moved things around, I'm ready to add any new plants to my collection. I like to take time to step back and reflect on areas that seem sparse or need some added color. I've also found a repetition of plants in odd groupings creates a rhythm and balance in the landscape. This gives the garden a much nicer look. With these updates all completed and in place, you can add some fresh mulch to the flower beds to help protect the plants from the coming summer heat. Finally, you can give everything a nice dose of fertilizer. I give mine a boost of miracle grow. All you'll have to do now is sit back relax and enjoy all your hard work!
